The red in you and I
by Half-A-Soul-Ginger
Summary: His world was silent, always was and always would be. Red beat inside of him, slowly dragging him down. But red also beat inside of Him, and that's what hurt the most.


First off, I just want to say sorry. I know this is not the minimum length but I really struggled with those story both because it was an unusual pairing for me, and as some of you know my life for the past three weeks has been go Go GO. I hope you enjoy. This is for my part of the reverse big bang.

It was late, sun setting behind his red curtains staining the room in a dark red. White walls tarnished by the dying of the light, reflecting the day's choices and worrying thoughts. Roci leaned back in his armchair, top few buttons of his signature shirt undone to try and help strive off the unholy heat. Even in his white pants, that too stained red, he was suffocating. He'd long since tossed aside his feathered coat, skin sticky with sweat from the simple walking from the kitchen to the room. Three floors, nothing grand. But his heart raced. Raced for the man two floors down, raced for his presuccessor who was leaving tomorrow for a mission even Roci himself did not know about. His heart clenched, world stained red, at the thought of never seeing his face again.

Small roll of the shoulders, crack of the neck, soft exhale; deep breath in then out.

Roci curled into his knees, face in his hands as silent sobs racked through his body. Claws, ripping the insides of his lungs till they filled with red and drowned him silently. Always so silent. Heart hammering and spazzing, shuddering to escape the cold touch of fear but failing. Falling. The room is nothing but red, his red, his red. The light bleeds in, but it can't chase away the silence that is RED. The dresser, the bed, the floors and mats, the walls and even him. He was nothing but red. Red. God fucking red. The hearts of his shirt mocked him, mocked him for the words he could not would not, say. Words he never says.

Red in his veins, on him. Around him. Just Red.

There's a knock, and for a moment Roci fears he's let out a sound until no; he can feel his devil fruit power still active. He gets up and walks to the door, opening it slowly because he simply does not want to deal with anyone let alone his brother.

There's red on his cheek. So like him, Roci wants to almost laugh at the look of him.

Raven hair, bowl cut style and still growing his beard; Vergo stood a few inches shorter then Roci wearing a thin white dress shirt and white pants. He was barefoot, small strawberry stuck to his face. Roci reached out and pulled it off, holding it out to Vergo. It was a silent exchange, and yet, so much more than a simple 'here's your strawberry back'.

Take it, and do something forbidden.

Reject it, and cast his world into the world of crimson and broken heart.

Take it; please. Even for one night. Just this once.

It was only one strawberry. One choice. One answer that Vergo made, taking that berry and tossing it somewhere in Roci's room. Pushing in and past, shoving the door closer and bring in the blond for a kiss. Finger trailing through the short locks, sparks flying down Roci's back before the room turned and his back was slammed into the door. Lips pressed hungrily against his, smooth and tasting of coffee, not strawberries.

Trap.

Don't care.

With equal hunger, Roci brought his finger's up and into Vergo's hair; surprised by the softness of it. He couldn't grab it, too short, just slipped his fingers just like he himself would. Now he was cast in red, the red that flowed south and made him juts stop thinking long enough to enjoy the feel of another warm body pressed against him. Hands ran down his sides, squeezing his hips then ass and lower until he was lifted by the older and Roci wrapped his legs around Vergo's waist, pulling him close and tight, groaning at the friction as their erections brushed against each other.

Teeth gently pulled Roci's bottom lip, a tongue swiping away the sting before teasing it's way into his mouth. A soft moan escaped Roci and Vergo pressed into him harder, rocking into the blond slowly and deeply. Something in the room changed and gone was the need of lust and there, there was the red glow of love. That stupid red string bringing together the two, even for one night, even if it was to bathe in the glow of the setting sun just once.

Higher Roci was hefted as Vergo carried him across the room to the large bed, the gentle kiss never ending until Roci was placed with care on the bed. Those hands trailed up his sides, those lips trailing from mouth to ear, a soft nibble here and there before down his neck with soft murmurs of promise and love. Roci swallowed, Vergo's tongue caressing the moving Adam's apple before trailing down to his collarbone. Murmur, too low to hear before pressure, and teeth and tongue.

His skin bloomed red from the hickey, his heart pounding as gentle fingers opened his shirt. With assistance, he sat up to have the material slide off his shoulders and be discarded into another part of the room. Sparks slide over his skin in the wake of burning fingers, hot breath against his neck and cool lips trailing lower; kiss and murmur, again and again, finger's trailing across a nipple. Rock's back arched gentle, a small gust of air leaving his lungs. He bucked his hips up, against Vergo's erection and both groaned.

Roci grabbed Vergo by the hair and pulled him in for another kiss, tongues sliding over each other as Roci started to open Vergo's shirt, finger's sliding over the firm muscles moments later. He was as every bit perfect as Roci'd imagined, years of training and fights have left this man scarred and unbroken. Roci flipped them, discarding Vergo's shirt in favor of kissing down his chest. With steady hands Roci u did Vergo's belt, pausing and looking at him for a moment in silent question. It was always silent.

Always silent. That was the path Roci had chosen

He could moan and groan, grunt and hiss but he could never truly talk to his love. Would he understand his need to stop his brother? Vergo was loyal, he might not even love him back and yet Roci was willing to cast aside all doubts for this night. But there was still the deafening silence that not even the heated breath of his partner could fix. Roci has made his choice, made the decision that now ravaged inside his chest with such demanding anger Roci began to shake. He was angry, angry at his brother for doing things that kept him from embracing Vergo to his fullest capabilities. He was just so angry at everything, everything in this room stained red with invisible hands prints on the walls and floors, calling to Roci, calling to beg for help.

The fingers in his hairs, turning his face up and wiping away the tears he hadn't known fall Roci looked into deep brown eyes, shocked by the warmth in them. Vergo leaned forward, kissing his cheek before running their fingers together and squeezing. Pulling Roci into his chest, holding him, cradling him.

He let go.

Roci sobbed heavily, wrapping his arms around Vergo and crying. His sobs were silent, they always were, but slowly the anger faded and the beast went back inside its cage. Time passed and the sun set, the two embraced on the bed enjoying each other's breathing as exhaustion gripped them. Moonlight streamed into the room, curtains moving lightly in the night breeze, and the red had turned into a pale rose.

Vergo shifted, pulling Roci closer and burying his face in the crook of the blond's neck, kissing the pulse there softly.

"I love you. I'll come back." Vergo whispered softly, adding another hickey to Roci's neck.

"Please," Roci whispered in a broken voice, throat dry and scratchy. His heart dropped as Vergo stilled before kissing him once again, covering the blond's body with his own, whispers of promise to return.

He woke in the morning to an empty bed.

The red kiss on his neck binding them together, no different than the string of fate.


End file.
